P40-billion palay losses feared next year due to El Niño

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture fears the loss of up to P40 billion worth of palay or paddy rice and up to P16.4 billion worth of corn next year due to the El Niño phenomenon.

Right now, the DA is creating a task force to implement a five-point program to raise crop production in the face of a looming “El Niño” weather pattern that is expected to last till early next year.

Agriculture Undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla said the task force, which will implement the DA’s El Niño mitigation program, will focus on 23 highly vulnerable areas and 24 moderately vulnerable areas in the country.

The areas considered highly vulnerable to an El Niño or a dry spell are Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Cavite, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga City, Sarangani and South Cotabato.

More fortunate are Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Mt. Province, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Romblon, Sorsogon, Aklan, Antique, Bohol, Samar, Zamboanga Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga Sur, Bukidnon, Davao Oriental, Davao Sur and Davao City which are considered moderately vulnerable to the El Niño phenomenon.

El Niño refers to the unusual warming of sea surface temperatures along the equatorial Pacific that is usually characterized by below-average rainfall.

Fondevilla said “the major sectors vulnerable to El Niño include palay, which could lead to a projected production loss of 2.36 million metric tons (MT) worth some P40 billion, covering an area of 620,000 hectares.”

“Corn is another vulnerable sector, with projected losses of 1.26 million MT worth P16.4 billion, covering 350,000 hectares,” he added.

The possible losses pertain to crops with no chances of recovery, Fondevilla said.

The creation of a task force was prompted by an announcement by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) that following the spate of typhoons which hit the country, the Philippines next year may experience below-average rainfall as a result of an El Niño cycle which was confirmed in June this year and could last till early 2010.